Edayar fire; Directs to shut down Cee Gee (CG) Lubricants; Aid of Rs 15 lakh to kin of dead

KOCHI: Cee Gee (CG) Lubricants, the firm that caught fire near the Pathalam Regulator cum Bridge in the Edayar industrial area, has been directed to down the shutters. The order was issued by the Factories and Boilers Department after a safety breach was found. The company was instructed not to open until safety standards are met. It was also found that the company had not conducted the coil testing that was supposed to be conducted in December.

District Collector G Priyanka had pointed the other day that there was a lapse on the part of the oil company in the incident. She said that this was clear in the preliminary investigation into the accident and that the police have been instructed to investigate further.

A decision has been taken to pay a compensation of Rs 15 lakh to the family of the native of Bihar who died in the fire. The decision was taken in a discussion held in the presence of assistant district collector Parvathy Gopakumar. Shathrukan Mukhiya (43) of Darbhanga in Bihar, was killed in the accident. All six workers suffered burns.

The accident occurred on Thursday at around 9.40 am. The fire broke out at a company that refines coal oil and manufactures vehicle oil. The owner is Anto of Aluva. It is believed that the cause of the explosion was a fire that broke out after plastic barrels near the boiler caught fire. About 100 workers work here in three shifts, and 33 people, including more than 10 Malayalees, were there at the time of the accident. Most of the workers escaped after hearing the noise. The fire then spread. It is reported that when the plastic barrels first caught fire, Shathrukan sustained burns when he tried to douse it.